Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Review: Blankets



Blankets are the image of warmth, shelter and comfort. But in Craig Thompson's graphic memoir, blankets are a synonym for ''personal demons.'' From his childhood memories of sharing a bed with his sibling and fighting for the blanket that brought on his father's unreasonable anger, to receiving a blanket from a love gone wrong.


Although incredibly gorgeous, the illustrations were black and white, allowing tough subjects like: bullying, the sexual guilt that Christian upbringing can have on children, and long-distance relationships to become the center of attention.

I recommend reading this book on a good day.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Picture me this



 




TOP FAVORITE GRAPHIC NOVELS


I discovered Graphic Novels last year and turned into an addict. Oh well!!


Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Touching story set during the Islamic Revolution.

Maus by Art Spiegelman

Holocaust account. Considered a classic in the Graphic Novel genre.
Blankets by Craig Thompson

I'm about to review this book. It's well-drawn and retells the pain of a first heartbreak from a dude's point of view.
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Growing up means learning how to love yourself no matter where you come from. 
Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

One of my all time favorites. I can't count how many times it has made my top ten. 
Are you my Mother by Alison Bechdel

I was grateful that the writer exposed so much -- past the wound, the hurt, the pain.
YKids Collection

Collection also includes Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Leonardo Da Vinci, Einstein and Marie Curie. Depicts their life from birth to death. Well-illustrated. 

Monday, March 10, 2014

Review: Hollow City


Who's to say a sequel can't be better than the first?

Jacob and the peculiar children find themselves stranded on an island. This time with a quest on their hands: to find a way to bring Miss Peregrine back to her physical form. If Miss Peregrine doesn't change soon, she will remain a bird forever and Jacob will never be able to see his parents again.

Ransom Riggs placed a lot more action into the plot this time, introducing Gypsies and a war; making certain to keep us on our toes. Somewhere along the lines, I didn't really feel the lust between Jacob and Emma. Did their feelings start to fall apart, I wondered? Then I realized their relationship went deeper than that. Even Emma doesn't know what to make of it anymore.

In fact, the chaos of the situation brought a lot of changes to the peculiars. Forcing them to use their powers. To understand just how special they all are.

Looking forward to book number three.


Thursday, March 6, 2014

Review: Cloaked


One day my princess will come -- yeah, one can safely say that this a great modern plot twist from the original boy romances girl fairy-tales. Victoriana is beautiful and loaded with royal money. She could have any other boy, but wants shoemaker Johnny to be her savior and search the town for her lost brother who's been turned into a frog. If he succeeds, she will marry him and make him prince of Aloria. Johnny doesn't really want to marry the princess, whom he's never met before, but agrees for the money. And so begins his magical quest. 

I love Alex Flinn for books like Beastly and A Kiss in Time. For her ability to take fantasy fairy-tale elements and give them a modern take. But alas, in this book she took the tales too far. I could barely recognize the human world at all. Even the characters kept changing, developing powers when it suited them, falling in and out of love at will. 

Sadly, kissing a frog would be more entertaining. 

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday: This is my confession



 




TOP AUTHORS I'VE NEVER READ


Nothing personal. I'm certain that one day this post will be old news as I update my to-read list.


    Jane Austen   Dan Brown      Lewis Caroll    J.R.R.Tolkien

  Jennifer L. Armentrout  


Who made your list?